Soraya Santhalingam
What does The New Equation mean to you personally?
‘If you work on sustainable progress purely based on your own field, it can become boring. I prefer to view an issue from a holistic angle, connecting with other disciplines when working, such as ESG and privacy ethics. In any case, providing solutions drawn from diverse teams with different areas of expertise gives me enormous satisfaction.’
‘I was attracted by the many opportunities for career development.’
Meet Soraya. A salsa dancer, adventurer, privacy specialist and solver at PwC
What is your educational background?
‘I studied law at Erasmus University Rotterdam, after which I moved to Amsterdam for two master programmes: international and European law, and information law.’
How did you end up at PwC?
‘As the result of a coffee date with a former fellow student who works at PwC! I found out while chatting that his team was looking for new privacy specialists. I first met them informally and without any real expectations. To my surprise, there was an instant click, after which a favourable offer followed.’
‘My working day is dynamic and flexible.’
Why did you choose PwC?
‘Working at a Big Four firm was always on my bucket list. But the immediate connection during the job interview was the deciding factor, combined with the realisation that it was time for something new. What's more, I was attracted by the many opportunities for career development.’
What struck you during your early days at PwC?
‘The people and the working atmosphere. You are given space to develop and discover things for yourself. Besides, there is always someone willing to help or give you guidance if you need it. If you have any questions, the partner’s office is always open.’
What’s your average working day like?
‘My working day is dynamic and flexible. Dynamic because of various projects and client meetings. Flexible because I can usually work from home in Rotterdam and alternate home working with meetings at the Amsterdam office. If my schedule permits, I prefer to start my day in the gym.’
What makes your work enjoyable?
‘The endless opportunities to develop myself. Personal commitment and initiative are important and there is also a career coach who contributes constructively. My focus is on the public sector, but it is the international character of PwC that really inspires me in my daily work. That’s hardly surprising with so many diverse colleagues and projects. We rarely spend more than six months on the same job. That’s precisely what makes the work so challenging and enjoyable.’
What can you tell us about your team?
‘The team consists of 160 professionals, divided into three teams (forensics, identity, and cyber, privacy & information society (CP&IS)) to fully support the client. We are very diverse and differ not only in knowledge and skills, but also in personality and culture. I would describe the atmosphere as informal and professional. The feeling that you are not alone and that you really do things together as a team is invaluable in my opinion.’
‘We are very diverse and differ not only in knowledge and skills, but also in personality and culture.’
What is still on your bucket list?
‘An international secondment that I am currently looking into. As far as travel is concerned, Australia and the United States are high on my list. I would also like to take a cruise through the Caribbean and focus a lot on salsa dancing of course!’
Which project makes you proud?
‘I am currently part of our ESG team, in which I examine the interfaces with the public sector. The project is valuable because it means a lot to our clients.’
What do you think of the work-life balance at PwC?
‘That is a top priority here. We expect colleagues in leadership programmes to appreciate the person behind the colleague. The flexibility to work when and where you wish is an absolute must for me, and that’s possible here.’
What would you say to your future colleagues?
‘PwC is a company with endless possibilities and opportunities. Come for a coffee sometime and I'll be happy to tell you more!’
‘The flexibility to work when and where you wish is an absolute must for me, and that’s possible here.’
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